Kotas Reviews Coca-Cola Life

Coca-Cola is practically ubiquitous in my life, and I have been an avid consumer of Coke products since I was a wee tot (which probably explains this blog's focus on junk food). I've had almost every product they have offered: Coca-Cola, New Coke, Coke Classic, Diet Coke, the various "with Lemon/Lime" variants, Caffeine Free Coke, Diet Caffeine Free Coke, Coke Zero, Vanilla Coke, Cherry Coke, Vanilla Cherry Coke, and numerous Coke related products. I've even sampled Fried Coke. I guess I enjoy the soda, is what I'm saying. When you've produced as many things as Coca-Cola though, it is hard to really innovate. It is even more shocking when you completely change the color scheme of your packaging. Thus, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, we're reviewing the very distinct Coca-Cola Life!

COKE! LIFE!

It takes some marketing confidence to flip people's world view upside down by putting a Coke product in a GREEN PACKAGE. A little research (Thanks Wikipedia) informs me that this beverage was originally developed in Argentina in 2013, moving to Chile and the UK shortly after that. Distribution started in the US in November of 2014, and it has finally made its way to my town, I guess. This soda's claim to fame is that it is a "reduced calorie" soda, sweetened with a mix of stevia and cane sugar, putting its caloric content at 65% of a standard Coke. It's also sold in 8oz glass bottles at "regular" six pack prices. Because of course it is.

Majestic, I tell you.

Of course, you didn't come here for a history lesson or bitching about high prices, you wanna know how it tastes! Well, it's pretty much a Coke, with a little less sweetness and some different but not unpleasant overtones that I can't place, though I assume that's the stevia coming through. It's fairly tasty, and it satisfies my "I want a real soda" craving about as well as regular Coke. The problem here is that I don't know if I would pay a hefty premium over regular Coke simply to get this version. It's tasty, and I would totally drink it from a fountain or at a restaurant, but it isn't good enough to justify the hefty (in soda terms, anyway) price. Put it at the same price as your other varieties, and then we'll talk, Coke. 

On the FACE Rating System, this gets 1 smiley face. It's good, but it is nothing spectacular. I appreciate the lower calorie count, but this is NOT a diet soda by any stretch, though it is a good product. If you are a huge Coca-Cola fan, this is worth having at least once, but this will not become my "go to" product without some better price parity or availability.